In order to fire a projectile, a firearm utilizes an ignited propellant to create a high-pressure pulse of hot gases behind the projectile to force the projectile down the barrel of the firearm. When the high-pressure gases exit the barrel of the firearm, they generate a loud noise, commonly referred to as a “muzzle blast.” Noise suppressors are commonly used with firearms, such as rifles and handguns, to reduce muzzle blast. To reduce muzzle blast, suppressors attach to the end of the firearm barrel and allow the high-pressure gases to expand, and thereby dissipate pressure, before exiting the firearm. By allowing the pressure behind the projectile to dissipate before exiting the firearm, a firearm suppressor can significantly reduce muzzle blast.
In order to allow the high-pressure gases to expand before exiting the firearm, a noise suppressor creates a significantly larger volume than exists in the firearm barrel. Noise suppressors can create this larger volume through a series of chambers, which are often referred to as “baffles.” The size and number of baffles needed to effectively dissipate the high-pressure gases behind the projectile vary depending on a number of factors including without limitation the caliber and barrel length of the firearm as well as the type of ammunition used. To effectively suppress muzzle blast in certain firearms, noise suppressors often utilize a significant number of baffles to create the volume necessary to allow the high-pressure gases to sufficiently dissipate before exiting the firearm.
In suppressors containing baffles, baffles are often manufactured as individual components that are typically connected together through welds or press (interference) fits or held together with threaded interfaces or simply by compression created by holding the baffles together with outer tube and end caps. After the suppressor is used with a firearm, carbon and other byproducts of the expended ammunition can accumulate on both the outside and the inside of the baffles. In welded and press fit baffle systems, the inside of the baffles can be difficult to clean due to limited access to the interior baffles. In baffle systems where the baffles are either threaded together or held together by compression within the outer tube and end caps, the baffles can be easily separated and cleaned, however, these systems have numerous components that can be incorrectly installed during reassembly. If the baffles are incorrectly installed during reassembly, the baffles can be damaged during subsequent use of the firearm. Similarly, in baffle systems relying on compression to hold the baffles together, the baffles can rattle against one another, which can cause the suppressor to make the firearm less accurate.
Suppressors can also be manufactured using a single core within an outer tube and end caps. Such suppressors are often referred to as monocore suppressors. Monocore suppressors, however, are often not as effective at reducing noise as suppressors containing baffles. As a result, suppressors with baffles are often more desirable than monocore suppressors for performance reasons despite the limitations of such baffle-based suppressors described above.
Accordingly, there is a need for a suppressor with a baffle-based noise suppression system that can be easily disassembled and cleaned with minimal components that can be accurately reassembled after cleaning.